Purpose
Through fun, hands-on, creative
activities based on the
language of colour, we learn new ways to help children gain
insight into themselves and others. Using this program we remind our
children and ourselves of the importance and richness of our inner
life, the strength our natural environment gives us, and to feel a
part of, and to value, the world we live in.
We stretch our imaginations and
transform our understanding to become aware of the deeper layers of
ourselves, to develop ‘spiritual intelligence’, the inner discipline
to take responsibility – for ourselves, our environment and our
world.
The program was developed to
address some of the deficits in the current mainstream education
system. There are many educational researchers who now believe that,
in its drive for higher academic achievement, the K-12 curriculum is
lacking in those areas required in order for children to experience
social, emotional and behavioural well-being, and to develop a
personal and social identity, positive attitudes, motivation,
emotional resilience and ‘spiritual intelligence’. It has been
recognised that these key aspects of development influence personal
and community health, and that ‘health’ is multi-dimensional,
incorporating physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
Limited interpersonal relationships and communication skills hinder
a child’s ability to form satisfying relationships and effectively
participate in community life.
Changes in family structure,
technology, employment, mobility and socio-economic conditions have
resulted in teachers being at the forefront in dealing with the
signs of a fractured society and family disruption – anxiety,
depression, lack of discipline, aggression, lack of motivation,
truancy, bullying, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and poor
academic outcomes. Many children feel a kind of ‘soul pain’ with
feelings of fragmentation and meaninglessness. It is time for
teachers to embrace a vision of cultivating and merging positive
psychological and spiritual health with high academic achievement in
schools, and to change the trajectory of current trends.
‘Kaleidoscopes’ helps participants become aware of their lifestyle
as well as their attitude choices. It helps our young people
discover how we are sharing the earth with each other and all living
things. They are taken through a process of understanding the human
spirit. In understanding this they then discover the human-nature
connection; the respect for life in all its diversity and for the
earth they live. Thus students develop their own sustain –‘ability’
and an awareness of the natural processes that sustain our well
being and all of life.
The
learning outcomes of Kaleidoscopes in relation to the eight
intelligences – art, body, maths/logic, music, nature, people, self
and word – are:
ART:
Students will use colour as a language for expression.
Students will express themselves through pastels, paint and sketches.
Students will understand that art is a way of expressing and
communicating our feelings, ideas, dreams and aspirations.
BODY:
Students will gain an understanding of the connection
between what we eat and our health and wellbeing.
Students will learn that food has healing qualities.
Students will understand how our body ‘tells us’ the foods we need to
be healthy, and how what we eat affects our environment.
MATHS/LOGIC:
Students will use shape as a tool for expression.
Students will see shape in the natural world.
Students will understand the connection between emotions and logic,
how they work together to create balance or imbalance.
MUSIC:
Students will become aware of how different music evokes
different responses.
Students will listen to music to express feelings, ideas and
creativity, through art and language.
NATURE:
Students will be shown their connection to nature through
natural objects, animals, food and microscopic pictures.
Students will learn how nature can inspire and balance emotions.
Students will appreciate the importance of taking care of their
environment, fauna and flora, of how we live in harmony or disharmony
with it.
PEOPLE:
Students will learn to appreciate our individuality, our
uniqueness and our similarities.
Students will share ideas and feelings with each other.
Students will understand and communicate the connection between every
living thing (including each other) and the world they live.
SELF:
Students will gain new awareness into themselves, increase
self-esteem and inner strength.
Students will become aware of how what we say, feel, think and do
affects our health and that of others.
Students will gain understanding of the importance of taking
responsibility and the implications of not.
WORD:
Students will express and communicate ideas, feelings and
stories through the written and spoken word.
Students will be inspired by colour and nature to write words,
phrases, poetry and/or stories.
Students will visualise meaning from abstract images.
